Xero
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| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| |
| ISIN | NZXROE0001S2 |
| Industry | Software as a service |
| Founded | July 6, 2006 in Wellington, New Zealand |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | |
| Key people |
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| Products | Accounting software |
| Revenue | |
| Total assets | |
| Total equity | |
Number of employees | |
| Website | xero |
| Footnotes [1][2][3][4][5][6] | |
Xero Limited is a New Zealand technology company that provides cloud-based accounting software for small businesses. The company has offices in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa and Singapore.[7][8] Xero's products are based on the software-as-a-service model and sold by subscription, based on the type and number of entities managed by the subscriber.[9] The products are used in over 180 countries.[10][11]
History
[edit]On July 6, 2006,[12] Xero was founded by Rod Drury and Hamish Edwards in Wellington,[13][14][15] where Xero Limited's headquarters are still located.[16] The company was originally called Accounting 2.0.[15]
Xero listed on the New Zealand Exchange in June 2007, raising NZ$15 million in its IPO.[17]
During its early international expansion, Xero raised capital from investors including MYOB co-founder Craig Winkler, Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures, Matrix Capital Management and Accel Partners.[18][19]
In November 2012, Xero also listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), while retaining its NZX listing.[20]
By 2017, Xero had more than one million customers globally,[21] and the following year, it had more than one million subscribers in Australia and New Zealand.[22] In April 2018, Steve Vamos was appointed as CEO, replacing Rod Drury who remained on the board as a non-executive director until 2023.[23] Vamos announced in November 2022 that he would step down in February 2023 and be replaced by Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, a former executive of Google and StubHub.[24][25]
Xero delisted from the New Zealand Exchange in February 2018 and consolidated its shares on the Australian Securities Exchange, which became its sole stock exchange listing.[26]
In 2019, the company announced it had over two million global subscribers,[27] and three million subscribers in September 2021.[28]
In March 2023, Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, the CEO of Xero, announced the removal of 700-800 roles across Xero, representing approximately 15% of the employee base.[29] At this time, the company reportedly had more than 3.5 million subscribers and about 4,500 staff across offices in New Zealand, Australia, North America, the UK and southeast Asia.[30] The company announced it had finished its job cuts by November 2023, reducing headcount to 4,242 staff.[31]
In June 2025, Xero announced an agreement to acquire Melio, a New York-based payments provider, for $2.5 billion.[32]
Products
[edit]The Xero accounting software uses a single unified ledger, which allows users to work in the same set of books regardless of location or operating system.[33] It provides automatic bank feeds, invoicing, accounts payable, expense claims, fixed asset depreciation, purchase orders, bank reconciliations, and standard business and management reporting.[34]
In 2011 and 2012, the Xero Touch mobile apps for iOS and Android devices were released.[35]
In the 2019 financial year, Xero offered services relating to Making Tax Digital in the United Kingdom,[36] Single Touch Payroll in Australia,[37] and Payday Filing in New Zealand.[38]
In 2026 Xero announced a partnership with Anthropic to add AI to their accounting software.[39]
Acquisitions and partnerships
[edit]In July 2011, Xero acquired the Australian online payroll provider Paycycle for a mixture of cash and shares totaling NZ$1.9 million, to integrate the company's products into its services.[40] It acquired Spotlight Workpapers in July 2012 for a mixture of cash and shares totaling $800,000.[41]
In July 2018, Xero formed a partnership with US payroll platform Gusto.[42] In August 2018, it acquired Hubdoc, a data capture application.[43] In November 2018, it acquired cloud-based accounts preparation and tax filing application Instafile for £5.25 million.[44]
In August 2020, Xero acquired Waddle, an Australian-based invoice financing startup, for A$80 million. The payment included $31 million in cash and $49 million in earnout payments. Waddle allows small businesses to access loans secured by their accounts receivables.[45][46] In March 2023, Xero announced it was cutting jobs and closing the Waddle app.[47]
In November 2021, it acquired inventory management provider Locate Inventory for US$19 million,[48] and in December 2021, Xero announced it was acquiring Canadian tax software provider, TaxCycle, for CA$75 million.[49]
In November 2022, Xero announced the establishment of a technology base in India in partnership with technology outsourcing company Infosys.[50] The India technology base includes engineering and developer roles.[50]
In April 2024, Xero announced a strategic partnership with workforce management platform Deputy.[51] As part of the agreement, Xero invested US$25 million to take a minority stake in Deputy and announced plans to embed Deputy’s shift work management capabilities into Xero’s payroll platform for Australian customers.[52]
In September 2024, Xero announced the acquisition of cloud-based reporting, insights and analytics platform Syft Analytics for up to US$70 million.[53]
In June 2025, Xero agreed to acquire US company Melio for US$2.5 billion in cash and stock, and up to $500 million in additional payments over three years. Melio co-founder and CEO Matan Bar was announced as leading the US operations of the combined business.[54][55] The acquisition was completed on 15 October 2025.[56]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Annual Report 2026". Xero. 14 May 2026. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
- ↑ Laugesen, Ruth (17 October 2013). "From Xero a hero". New Zealand Listener. Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Barwick, Harrish (8 November 2012). "NZ-based SaaS provider Xero lists on ASX". Computer World. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
- ↑ "Xero Limited 2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ↑ "Xero Limited 2018 Interim Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ↑ "ASX" (PDF).
- ↑ Mckenzie, Hamish (1 May 2013). "Xero: A billion-dollar software company that had five years in stealth at the bottom of the planet – New Zealand". Bamboo Innovator. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ↑ Campbell, Anita (13 October 2013). "Small Biz Accounting Software Space Heats Up As Xero Raises $150 Million". Small Biz Trends. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
- ↑ Robins, Brian (6 November 2013). "Sharemarket darling Xero dubbed 'Apple of accounting'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
- ↑ "Xero grows to $1 Billion revenue – Enterprise Times". Enterprise Times. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ↑ Ryan, Holly (9 May 2018). "Xero halves losses, closes in on profitability". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ "What is Brief History of Xero Company?". Business Model Canvas Template. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
- ↑ "No guts, no glory for Xero boss". Stuff. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ↑ Gregersen, Hal. "How Rod Drury Built Xero From A 'Small Set Of Rocks In The South Pacific' Into A Global Player". Forbes. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- 1 2 "THE UNTOLD STORY: How Xero took a band name and changed accounting for a million companies". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ↑ Brooks, Steve (20 July 2016). "Xero grows to $1 Billion revenue -". Enterprise Times. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- ↑ "Xero shares list at 11pc premium". The New Zealand Herald. 5 June 2007. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
- ↑ "From Xero to hero - $23.2m raised from investors". The New Zealand Herald. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
- ↑ Russell, Jon (24 February 2015). "Xero Raises $111M And Hires New U.S. Lead For Its Cloud-Based Accounting Business". TechCrunch. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
- ↑ "ASX welcomes Xero Limited" (PDF). Australian Securities Exchange. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
- ↑ Shaw, Aimee (29 March 2017). "Accounting software firm Xero surpasses one million users worldwide". ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ "Xero hits million mark for trans-Tasman subscribers". New Zealand Reseller News. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ Ryan, Holly (4 March 2018). "Xero CEO Rod Drury stepping down". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ "Xero appoints new CEO as Vamos set to depart". NBR | The Authority since 1970. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ↑ Ruth, Jenny (11 November 2022). "Xero shares plunge on CEO Steve Vamos' imminent departure". businessdesk.co.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ↑ "Xero says global connections can fill hole left by market exit". RNZ. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2026.
- ↑ Waters, Cara (7 November 2019). "'A big milestone': Xero hits two million subscribers, revenue jumps". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ↑ Chanthadavong, Aimee (11 November 2021). "Xero posts half-year net loss as investment in product development grows". ZDNet. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ↑ "Reshaping Xero to enable disciplined growth and focus". Xero. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ↑ "Xero announces plan to cut up to 800 jobs". RNZ. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ↑ Stevenson, Rebecca. "Xero adds deep global expertise, ends painful job cuts". businessdesk.co.nz. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ↑ Kaye, Ron; Mukherjee, Rajasik; Kaye, Ron (25 June 2025). "New Zealand's Xero to buy US fintech Melio for up to $3 billion". Reuters. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ↑ Lam, Greg (2 July 2013). "Cloud Accounting Comparison – Data Import and Export". Sleeter. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ↑ Sherman, Matt (10 March 2025). "Xero Review". Merchant Maverick.
- ↑ Fineberg, Seth (2 October 2012). "Xero Debuts Mobile App for Android". Accounting Today. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ↑ "Xero is preparing for Making Tax Digital". Accountancy Age. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ Zaharov-Reutt, Alex (28 November 2018). "Xero says 'small businesses rushing to go digital as STP deadline approaches'". iwire.
- ↑ "Tax refund agents weigh futures as IRD prepares huge software release". New Zealand Reseller News. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ "Xero signs deal with AI giant Anthropic". RNZ. 27 March 2026. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
- ↑ Rogers, Claire (21 July 2011). "Xero buys payroll firm to boost Aust growth". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
- ↑ "Startup profile: Richard Francis from Spotlight Reporting". Futurebooks. 30 September 2015. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
- ↑ Gray, Jamie (19 July 2018). "Xero forms alliance with US payrolls platform Gusto". ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ "Xero acquires Hubdoc". Finextra Research. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ↑ Brooks, Steve (16 November 2018). "Xero acquires Instafile for £5.25 million -". Enterprise Times. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ↑ Waters, Cara (25 August 2020). "Xero snaps up small business lender Waddle for $80 million". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ↑ Chanthadavong, Aimee. "Xero to acquire Waddle for AU$80 million". ZDNet. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ↑ King, Philip (9 March 2023). "Xero to cut hundreds of jobs, close Waddle app". accountantsdaily.
- ↑ Hood, Daniel (12 November 2021). "Xero acquires inventory mgmt. provider". accounting today. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ↑ Scott, Josh (28 December 2021). "Xero to acquire Calgary's TaxCycle in $75 million CAD deal to expand Canadian presence". betakit. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- 1 2 "Xero establishes a technology base in India". Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ↑ "Xero enters strategic Australian partnership with Deputy". Xero. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ Salmon, Kaleah (1 May 2024). "Xero invests USD $25m in Deputy for seamless business management solution". CFOTech Australia. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ "Xero buys South African firm for $115m in 'departure'". NZ Herald. 16 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ↑ Gould, Ryan; Haigh, Adam (25 June 2025). "New Zealand's Xero to Buy Melio Payments in $2.5 Billion Deal". Bllomberg. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ↑ Kaye, Byon; Mukherjee, Rajasik (25 June 2025). "New Zealand's Xero to buy US fintech Melio for up to $3 billion". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ↑ O'Bannon, Isaac M. (15 October 2025). "Xero Acquires Payments Platform Melio for $2.5B". CPA Practice Advisor. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
Xero Limited has completed its acquisition of Melio Payments Inc. for $2.5 billion U.S...as of October 15, 2025.
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External links
[edit]
Data related to Xero at Wikidata- Official website

- Accounting software
- Companies based in Wellington
- Companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
- Companies formerly listed on the New Zealand Exchange
- Companies in the S&P ASX 50
- Former cross-listed companies
- Financial software companies
- Software companies established in 2006
- Software companies of New Zealand
- 2006 establishments in New Zealand
- 2007 initial public offerings
- Business services companies established in 2006